December 19, 2003
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … The always eclectic ensemble 3 Leg Torso returns for another evening of unusual and ethnically influenced music at Chamber Music on Tap, the Oregon Symphony’s popular chamber music series that presents four-star music in a beer and pizza setting, on Wednesday, January 21 at 6 p.m. Chamber Music on Tap, the “listener-friendly” chamber music series, is sponsored by BridgePort Brewing Company, and presented by Fortissimo, the Symphony’s young professional volunteer organization. The BridgePort BrewPub is located at 1313 N.W. Marshall.
In this concert, 3 Leg Torso features musicians Béla Balogh, violin and trumpet; Thomas Mackay, mallets and percussion; Gary Irvine, mallets and percussion; Michael Papillo, acoustic bass and Courtney Von Drehle, accordion and saxophones. They will be performing a combination of newer works and some 3 Leg Torso classics.
The newer works include some pieces composed when collaborating with David Greenberger of Duplex Planet for PICA’s TBA festival and are inspired by the music of Kurt Weill, Arvo Pärt, and Ron Carter. Some of the classic works will be drawn from the group’s recently released second album, “Astor in Paris.” These will include the Latin influenced “B & G's,” the spy-themed “Frog.... Secret Agent,” the chamber Jazz of “Ba Doum” and a tribute to deceased local composer Elliot Smith, with the piece “Elliot’s Dream.”
Chamber Music on Tap is held on the third Wednesday of each month from October through March. The concerts provide audience members the opportunity to interact with musicians and socialize while sampling the brewery’s homemade pizza and handcrafted, award-winning ales in the pub’s unique building, a 100-year-old former rope factory.
Tickets are $6 for Fortissimo members, $12 for the general
public and may be
purchased in advance at the Oregon
Symphony Ticket Office (923 S.W. Washington), Monday through
Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or charged by phone at 503-228-1353
or (800) 228-7343. Tickets also may be purchased at the door,
if available. All proceeds from the evening benefit Fortissimo.
Béla Balogh, a first generation American, started playing violin when he was four years old, studying under his father, a conductor and touring concert violinist, and under his grandfather, leader of a Hungarian gypsy orchestra. Later he studied with Sister Jeanette Wood, Sister Anne Cecil Daigle and Hollis Taylor. After playing classical violin for many years, Béla drifted into the dark world of rock and roll, performing with the bands Greased Priest, The Willies and Lobe, a progressive rock band in which he started working with Courtney Von Drehle. Béla speaks fluent Hungarian with his family, friends and even people he doesn’t know, causing a bit of a stir on city buses and with the State Police whenever he gets pulled over for a missing headlight. Because of this wonderful gift, Béla enjoys a clean driving record.
Composer, multi-instrumentalist and improviser, Courtney Von Drehle took up the accordion out of a love for things that went “Oom” closely followed by “Pah.” Fortunately, this hasn’t affected his career in a negative way. He has been commissioned to write scores for theater, dance, performance art, CD-ROMs and television, and his music has been played on the John Peel Radio Show in England, Dutch National Radio and National Public Radio in America. In 2003 Von Drehle was awarded a fellowship at the Sundance Institute to study film music composition. He has a B.A. in music from Marylhurst College and has performed throughout Europe and the U.S.
Percussionist Gary Irvine (drum set, vibes, xylophone, doumbek, bongos) joined 3 Leg Torso in 2001. He received his B.A. in Music at San Diego State University. While there, he was introduced to the instruments of Harry Partch and spent the next 18 years as a member of the Harry Partch Ensemble. After college, Gary played drum set in a variety of jazz, rock, big band, and show bands. He played concert percussion with the San Diego Symphonia, Star Light Opera and the La Jolla Chamber Orchestra. In the 1980’s, Gary worked in Los Angeles as a recording musician. He recorded national commercials (Shell Oil, IBM. Turtle Wax, Polaroid) and movies (“Brainstorm,” “The Lion of the Desert,” “The Black Cauldron” and “Never Cry Wolf”). He wrote music and designed sound for local L.A. Theaters. He won the 1983 Drama Logue Award for Original Music and Sound Design for the play, “Don Juan Comes Home from the War.” So far there has not been a cure found for Gary's case of Bongo Fever.
Born in 1967, in Oakland, Nebraska, Thomas Mackay is a native of the Midwest. He started his musical studies at the early age of five in piano and percussion. Mr. Mackay has mentored under Gordon Stout and Bill Molenhof, and has performed with Clark Terry, Terry Haggerty, Merle Saunders and Martin Fiero. Mr. Mackay was a percussionist with the Casper Symphony and timpanist with the Grand Forks Symphony. His vibraphone led trios and quartets have appeared at the Winnipeg Jazz Festival, the Elkhart Jazz Festival and the Eugene Celebration. Now residing in Portland, Mr. Mackay is the most recent member of 3 Leg Torso and also plays keyboards with legendary reggae artist Norma Fraser.
Michael Papillo came upon the double bass perhaps by default. Although he had played electric bass in punk, rock, and pop bands from the time he was twelve, it wasn’t until the ripe old age of 25 that he picked up what has turned out to be his destiny: the double bass. Michael was the leader of the jazz band Pick Up Sticks, which was a featured band at the Monterey Jazz Festival (2001) alongside Herbie Hancock, Dave Holland, and many others. As well as being a member of 3 Leg Torso, Michael is also a member of the klezmer extravaganza Klezmocracy and of the local jazz band The West Coast Jazz Ensemble. He has toured and performed with the band Pink Martini and is a sideman for many of the wonderful jazz musicians in Portland.
